Temperature estimation in a wind turbine

A non-transitory memory device comprising a computer program comprising instructions which, when the computer program is executed by one or more processors, performs an operation of estimating a temperature of a component of a wind turbine, the operation comprising:

• during a calibration period:
• receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine;
• receiving measurements of one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine corresponding to the measurements of the temperature, the one or more operational parameters comprising at least measurements of wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine;
• calculating, using the measurements of temperature and of the one or more operational parameters, coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component, wherein:
• the model relates a temperature of the component at a current time (T_n) to a value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to a temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
• the model is segregated into separate bins based on the wind speed or the power generated by the wind turbine, such that the model comprises, for each bin, respective coefficients relating the temperature of the wind turbine at the current time (T_n) to the value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to the temperature of the component at the preceding time (T_n−1);
• and
• wherein calculating the coefficients of the model comprises assigning each measurement of the temperature and the one or more operational parameters to one or more bins of the model, and fitting the coefficients of each bin to the measurements assigned to that bin;
• and
• estimating the temperature of the component of the wind turbine using the model.

A controller for a wind turbine, comprising:

• a memory containing instructions;
• and
• a processor which, when programmed by the instructions, performs an operation of estimating a temperature of a component of the wind turbine, the operation comprising:
• during a calibration period:
• receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine;
• receiving measurements of one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine corresponding to the measurements of the temperature, the one or more operational parameters comprising at least measurements of wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine;
• calculating, using the measurements of temperature and of the one or more operational parameters, coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component, wherein:
• the model relates a temperature of the component at a current time (T_n) to a value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to a temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
• the model is segregated into separate bins based on the wind speed or the power generated by the wind turbine, such that the model comprises, for each bin, respective coefficients relating the temperature of the wind turbine at the current time (T_n) to the value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to the temperature of the component at the preceding time (T_n−1);
• and
• wherein calculating the coefficients of the model comprises assigning each measurement of the temperature and the one or more operational parameters to one or more bins of the model, and fitting the coefficients of each bin to the measurements assigned to that bin;
• and
• estimating the temperature of the component of the wind turbine using the model.

A wind turbine comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle disposed on the tower;
• a rotor extending from the nacelle;
• a plurality of blades disposed on a distal end of the rotor;
• one or more sensors for measuring operational parameters during operation of the wind turbine;
• and
• a controller configured to receive the operational parameters and perform an operation of estimating a temperature of a component of the wind turbine, the operation, comprising:
• during a calibration period:
• receiving measurements of the temperature of the component measured by a temperature sensor of the wind turbine;
• receiving measurements of one or more of the operational parameters of the wind turbine corresponding to the measurements of the temperature, the one or more operational parameters comprising at least measurements of wind speed or power generated by the wind turbine;
• calculating, using the measurements of temperature and of the one or more operational parameters, coefficients of a model of the temperature of the component, wherein:
• the model relates a temperature of the component at a current time (T_n) to a value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to a temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
• the model is segregated into separate bins based on the wind speed or the power generated by the wind turbine, such that the model comprises, for each bin, respective coefficients relating the temperature of the wind turbine at the current time (T_n) to the value of the one or more operational parameters at the current time and to the temperature of the component at a preceding time (T_n−1);
• and
• wherein calculating the coefficients of the model comprises assigning each measurement of the temperature and the one or more operational parameters to one or more bins of the model, and fitting the coefficients of each bin to the measurements assigned to that bin;
• and
• estimating the temperature of the component of the wind turbine using the model.